Reduced Brass Band Instrumentation without Repiano, 2nd Horn in Eb, 2nd Trombone (extra parts are included in the set to cover these parts if required)No.5 in the Easy Brass Band seriesIncludes: Tragedy; The Great Escape

This work was commissioned by Philip Biggs and Dr. Nicholas Childs for the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain summer course 2006.The idea behind the piece lies with the magnificent surroundings in which the annual National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain course is held, The Bromsgrove School. The course is held over a week long period at the school. Both staff and students stay on the premises for the duration, making use of the schools boarding facilities. The school itself is huge with various buildings on site and steeped in history. On entering the premises you are immediately engulfed in the school's splendid grandeur and tradition as its unique appearance grabs you and whisks you off to a world of old fashioned headmasters, public schoolboys and boarding school antics. As the evening draws to a close there is a dark and eerie side to the building that sends a tingle up your spine. The piece originated from a story I imagined where at night ghouls, ghosts and spirits emerge from inside the building's walls, paintings and surroundings to cause havoc in their desperate attempt to free themselves from the purgatory that is the spirit world by haunting the living. A group of pupils wake, hearing the commotion and startle the spirits who see this as an opportunity to possess the beings in order to free them from their turmoil. A great chase ensues with the pupils using any means possible to escape from their pursuing spirits.The only weapon against the spirits is the dawning sunshine and so the adventure begins with the pupils having to escape from the chasing spirits and hope that dawn breaks and the sunshine engulfs the supernatural, imploding them back to their world. Paul Lovatt-Cooper (August 2006)

Hellfire was written for the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band’s programme of music at the 40th Brass in Concert Championships at the Sage, Gateshead; a programme which told the story of the Great Fire of London 350 years ago. Hellfire depicts part of the story where the fire broke out on Pudding Lane and spread throughout London, causing havoc and leading people to flee from the city for their safety. The piece opens with night falling upon the city on the evening of September 2nd, 1666. Swirling sounds and distant rumblings are heard throughout the band as easterly winds blow strongly through the city. Suddenly a single spark is blown out of the baker’s oven and ignites the great fire. The fire quickly spreads, alarm bells are raised, and panic ensues as people scream and run for their lives from the menacing fire. The strong wind carries the dancing fire across rooftops from house to house and the sound of collapsing structures thunders with the roaring flames. People look in awe and horror at the mighty fire surrounding them, whilst they stand in the ‘eye of the storm’. Gunpowder-fuelled explosions boom and the escape from the city continues. People piling their precious belongings onto boats and sailing down the River Thames to escape. A feeling of hope is cast upon London as the fire finally begins to subside, and 4 days later… darkness finally falls upon the city once more.